Thiago Tavares – Photo by Getty Images via UFC.com
An injury to UFC lightweight, and longtime mma veteran, Dennis Hallman (51-14-2, 1NC) has been forced to withdraw from this May’s upcoming UFC on FOX 3 card due to injury.
Hallman’s original opponent, “TUF” 13 season winner Tony Ferguson (13-3), will now meet Brazilian fighter Thiago Tavares (17-4-1) according to Tatame.com who posted the news on Thursday.
UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller (aka UFC on Fox 3) scheduled to take place on May 5, 2012 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Tavares was last in action in his Native Brazil last January, picking up a unanimous decision over Sam Stout at the UFC 142 show. It was the second straight win for Tavares who stopped Spencer Fisher via TKO at UFC 134 in August. Tavares is now 2-1 in his last three and is 7-4-1 in the Octagon.
Ferguson is 3-0 in the UFC and is currently riding a six fight win streak. The former “TUF” winner earned a unanimous decision last December over Yves Edwards at the “TUF 14 Finale” in Las Vegas. His previous wins include a first round TKO doctor stoppage over Aaron Riley at UFC 135 and a knockout finish of Ramsey Nijem to capture the TUF 13 season.